MAGIC BEHIND MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH FATALITY TRENDS

A closer look at Nebraska crash data

Ying Zhang, PhD.Ashley Newmyer, MPH

Jihyun Ma, MSMing Qu, PhD.

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Background

Gov. Dave Heineman applauded the safe actions of motorists who contributed to one of the lowest traffic fatality totals on record for the state. The fatality total for 2010 was 186 (updated 190), the second lowest total since recordkeeping began 73 years ago.(www.governor.nebraska.gov, January 1, 2011)

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Background

In 2010, about 32,800 people lost their lives due to motor vehicle crashes on the nation’s roads.

The 3 percent decrease from 2009 brings the number of road deaths to the lowest level since the federal government began keeping records in 1949.

Decades of public health interventions aimed at preventing deaths on the nation’s roads are making a difference.

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In this study…To explore factors that possibly contributed to crash fatality

decrease

MethodNebraska CODES data including Crash (2000-2010), hospital

discharge data (2002-2008)Trauma registry data (2001-2010)EMS data (2005-2009)Variables

Person: age, gender, Risk factor: alcohol, seat belt Crash: type, location, time Trauma care EMS response

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Results

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Figure 1 Number of crashes, persons involved, deaths, and VMT by year Nebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 1015,000

35,000

55,000

75,000

95,000

115,000

135,000

155,000

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

109,265

105,630109,547

108,561

89,77385,099

78,70484,701

80,414

80,66475,133

42,23442,01241,22941,45433,94632,58530,02732,77731,57531,69830,256

17,72317,94018,40418,59218,81218,93819,22319,20218,86419,14719,698

277

245

306293

249

275 268256

208223

190

Persons Crashes VMT* Deaths

Num

ber

of p

erso

ns in

volv

ed,

Cra

shes

and

VM

T

Num

ber

of D

eath

s

* VMT: Vehicle Miles Traveled

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Figure 2 Crash injury severity by yearNebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 101,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

7,776

6,9406,441 6,269

5,8915,649

5,286 5,2865,002 4,815

4,544

2,507 2,371 2,408 2,218 2,097 2,038 1,966 1,959 1,832 1,933 1,742

277

245

306293

249

275 268256

208223

190

Visable Injuries Disabling Injuries Deaths

Num

ber

of v

isab

le a

nd d

isab

ling

inju

ries

Num

ber

of D

eath

s

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Figure 3 Person type distribution of crash fatalitiesNebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 100%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

64 6569

66 68 68 6468

75 7672

PedestrianPassengerDriver

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Figure 4 Gender distribution of crash fatalitiesNebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 100%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

69 72 71 67 67 69 7461

72 70 65

31 28 29 33 33 31 2638

28 30 35

FemaleMale

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Figure 5 Number of crash fatalities by age groupNebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 100

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

20-3940-590-1960-7980+

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Figure 6 Child restraint & safety belt observed usage rateNebraska, 1999-2010

99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 1050%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

56%

66% 67%70%

86%88%

84%

88%

93%97%

95%91%

68%71% 70% 70%

76%79% 79%

76%79%

83%85% 84%

Child Safety Seat Use Safety Belt Use

Provided by : Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, PO Box 94612, Lincoln, NE 68509

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Figure 7 Safety belt usage ratevs.

death rate per 100 million miles traveled

Nebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 1060%

65%

70%

75%

80%

85%

90%

0.800.901.001.101.201.301.401.501.601.701.80

71% 70% 70%

76%

79%

79%

76%

79%

83%85% 84%

1.56

1.37

1.68

1.58

1.36

1.461.40

1.33

1.101.16

0.96

Safety Belt Usage Rate Death Rate

Safe

ty B

elt

Usa

ge R

ate

Dea

th R

ate

Provided by : Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, PO Box 94612, Lincoln, NE 68509

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Figure 8 Percent of people who were in alcohol involved among all crashes and fatal crashes*

Nebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 100%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

% among all crashes % among fatal crashes

All C

rash

es

Fata

l Cra

shes

* If any driver in a crash was drunk, then all persons in the crash were considered alcohol involved.

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Figure 9 Alcohol-related fatalitiesCrash rate per 100 million miles

Nebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 100.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.55

0.50

0.63 0.62

0.48 0.43 0.45 0.47

0.36

0.46

0.27

Cra

sh R

ate

Provided by : Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, PO Box 94612, Lincoln, NE 68509

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Figure 10 Driving under the influence (DUI) arrests and convictionsNebraska, 2001-2010

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

ArrestsCon-vic-tions

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Figure 11 Crash type distribution of crash fatalitiesNebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 1035%

40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

Single Vehicle CrashMulti-vehicle crash

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Figure 12 Location distribution of crash fatalitiesNebraska, 2000-2010

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 100%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

RuralUrban

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Figure 13 Trauma registry case-fatality rates* by ISS categoryNebraska, 2001-2010

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

ISS 1-8ISS 9-15ISS 16-24ISS >24Overall

For each ISS category, case-fatality rate=(number of persons died/number of person admitted)*100

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Figure 14 Median EMS run time (minutes), Nebraska 2005-2009

0123456789

10

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

LINCOLNOMAHANARSISENARSIS

From 911 call to EMS arrival at scene From scene to EMS arrival at hospital

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SummaryThe following factors may have contributed

to the decline of crash fatalityIncreasing seatbelt usageAlcohol related crash fatality Improved trauma careFaster EMS response, especially at rural areas

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AcknowledgmentFred Zwonecheck, Linda Kearns, Nebraska

Office of Highway SafetySean Owings, Nebraska Dept. of RoadsDr. Erick Welsh, Injury Epidemiologist,

NDHHSDr. Jennifer Marcum, CDC/CSTE FellowQiao Ma, Intern, DHHS